Key facts
- Simon Levy was granted bail despite ongoing investigations for rape and murder.
The director of public prosecutions for England and Wales, Stephen Parkinson, has apologised for the Crown Prosecution Service's failure to inform the court about ongoing rape and murder investigations into Simon Levy before he was granted bail. Levy subsequently murdered two women while on bail.
This case highlights critical failures within the criminal justice system, specifically the CPS's inability to provide crucial information to the courts regarding ongoing serious investigations, leading to a situation where a dangerous offender was granted bail and subsequently committed further violent crimes. The apology and commitment to increased staffing signal an acknowledgment of systemic i
The director of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has apologised for failings in the case of Simon Levy, a serial sex offender who murdered two women while on bail. Stephen Parkinson, director of public prosecutions for England and Wales, conceded that the court should have been aware that Levy was being investigated for rape and murder when deciding on his bail.
Levy, 40, was sentenced to a whole-life term for the murders of Carmenza Valencia-Trujillo and Sheryl Wilkins, and the rape of another woman. He committed the murders in March 2025 and five months later while on bail and under police monitoring. Wilkins was found with 83 injuries.
Parkinson stated in an interview that while the investigation details were in the CPS system, prosecutors were not aware of them during Levy's bail hearings, which occurred on Saturdays during a busy period. He accepted that the court should have had this information, though he could not confirm if it would have changed the bail decision. However, he acknowledged that if Levy had been remanded in custody, he would not have had the opportunity to commit the crimes.
In response to the incident, the CPS is increasing staff numbers to minimize the risk of similar occurrences. Parkinson also addressed comments from Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley regarding Levy's release from jail despite a previous sexual assault on a prison officer, emphasizing that the public wants to see lessons learned and action taken.
Levy was not charged for the prison assault until October 2025, by which time he had attacked 13 additional women, resulting in two deaths.